New day, new school......

Well it's that time again. I have to say that I didn't realize how sad I was going to be not returning to Mount Allison but it's time for a new challenge. Education....not where I thought I would have found myself 10, 5 or even 2 years ago. I am excited for the new challenges and opportunities which will come my way over the next year. And now for me to pursue this opportunity I have to start again at a new school. Crandall University (or formerly ABU) is to be my home for the next 12 months.....aside from the chance that I may possibly get to visit the land of Oz next summer. It will be a nice change to not have to commute everyday to get to school. Hopefully this will be an adventure that will keep on giving into my future career.
Stay posted for updates to the next stage of my adventures.

I can't believe it's the end....

Well, this is it, the end of the line for me.
All my papers and assignments have been handed in and I wrote my very last Mount Allison final last night. I am officially done all the work for my undergraduate degree! It was a strange happy yet sad feeling when I woke up this morning. That feeling that you no longer are required to do any work or for me to have to commute every day to Sackville is great; but it's also hard knowing that people that you have become close to, whether they be Profs, faculty or friends, you no longer will be seeing them everyday. I guess that is the joy of technology - one can stay connected without really being there to have an actual connection. Unlike some other of my fellow graduating students I hope to not being going far off. I actually have an interview this afternoon at Atlantic Baptist University (in Moncton) for their Bachelor of Education program. If I get in I am able to stay here in Moncton close to my friends and family, and even though some of my friends will be leaving I will be in driving distance to visit some of them and others, well this is why we have an airport!
So I guess it's time to find a summer job and have some fun in case I am going back to school in the fall. If you've been following my blog I hope that I was able to give some perspective that being a mature student doesn't mean that you need to give up your life, you will adapt (quickly). And please feel free to send me questions if you have any, just because I am done doesn't mean I can't still answer questions about life at MtA.
I guess that's it for me so I am off!!
Cheers!
Victoria

What a blast from the past!

Hello all!Sorry for the delay since my last post but its been crazy trying to get to the end of the term in one piece. I'll fill you in on some of the more important highlights of what's been happening since my last blog.
On the education front I am wrapping up my term nicely. I have 2 papers left to write which haven't been started, one paper 1/2 complete and another which is being tweaked to perfection. Besides that I have 3 exams to write and then I will be done with all my required academic work for Mount A. It's a little bitter sweet at this point I have to say; I am glad to be finished but yet don't really want to leave the Mount A community which I have come to love. Thankfully for me I won't be going very far. I had applied for a B.Ed. at Atlantic Baptist University and am pleased to announce that I have an interview the day after my final exam. I have given myself a couple options for if I don't get in but I am thinking positively that I can do this.
As for more exciting news I have a couple pieces. First my good friend Lisa and her hubby Brad welcomed a beautiful baby boy on Monday night. I was lucky enough to have the chance to visit with mom and baby on Tuesday afternoon for about an hour. I have to say that it is an exciting time to see your friends getting married and having children. Even though I am not at that point quite yet I'm glad for them. Secondly, Jamie (my boyfriend) and I went to the airport with his mom last Saturday night to welcome his brother home for a visit. This was kind of a bizarre concept for me because Jeremy (his brother) and I were in the same elementary class. The last time that I can remember actually seeing him was the 5th grade - that was 17 years ago!! Now Jamie and I never knew each other until last year so the fact that his brother and I were in the same class is a complete coincidence, of which Jamie and I seem to have an abnormal amount of. Being at the airport waiting for him to come home I wondered if he would even remember me after all that time but sure enough he did. Tuesday night Jamie and I had him over for dinner. It gave us all a chance to just talk and catch up, because its been a while since the boys have seen each other as well; not 17 years but a couple at least. We have plans to go out to their mom's this weekend for a family gathering and Saturday night we're going to go and see a band that one of Jeremy's friends plays in.
It has been quite a strange blast from the past to be spending time with Jeremy after all these years but it's nice too. Oh and it's an end of an era kids - ER series finally tonight!! I must get back to work if I ever want to be done. I will update you again soon.

Concerts + Presentations = Madness!!

Ok boys and girls its been a crazy week! Attempting to get all the work done that I scheduled for myself has been a harder task than I originally anticipated but so far I've stayed on task quite well. I do have to say that in these crazy-busy times it is nice to have something to look forward to which I was lucky enough to have this week.

You have to love a good concert, especially when you get to see your favourite band. Some people say that I am crazy, I don't know, maybe it's the Newfoundlander in me but my favourite band is Great Big Sea. I had been waiting for last night's show since the last time I was able to see them, 2 years ago when they had a previous album released. I have to say that I was on the edge of my seat all day and was ready and willing to dodge out of my Wednesday afternoon seminar in order to be back in town with plenty of time to eat and get ready for the show. My prof ended up being sick and class was canceled, an unseen turn of events which let some panic drift away about timing my exit from Sackville. Since I was heading to the show with my friend Lynne I had her meet me at the apartment to pick me up and head off to the coliseum for the show. We got there with lots of time to spare so we found our seat and had a chat while waiting for the show. To my surprise my (very pregnant) friend Lisa, her husband and 2 other friends were sitting directly across the aisle from us - hey the more the merrier at a show like this.

At 8pm on the dot Spirit of the West came out to open the show. I had been speculating for some time that I knew who they were but even after they started to play songs I was still unsure if I really knew who they were or not. After a few songs the lead singer starts to tell a story about how in 1989 he and his wife were on their honeymoon in Venice. They were visiting the Guggenheim museum and they came to this window with a beautiful view of the canal. When he turned around there was this statue of a guy standing on the back of a horse with his arms outstretched. The singer said that since this was "a family show" the only other thing he'd say about the statue was that it was "visibly excited" (and the crowd burst into laughter). He said he just lined up a shot of the statue when a young boy (like 5-6) ran into the frame and you could tell he wanted to climb up onto the statue so he reached out for the only hand hold that he could reach. He then said that the next thing he knew there were two mortified parents who ran into the frame and tried to pull their child away but he just wouldn't let go of the statues "private area". He then said "and I took the best picture of my life!" (and the crowed roared with laughter). After a few more songs Spirit of the West played their last song of the night "Home for a Rest" and I solved how I knew the band' I've loved that song for years and just couldn't make the connection.

- INTERMISSION -

Time for the main act! The crowd went wild when Great Big Sea took the stage. Since I have seen them I don't know how many times you'd think that the excitement would wear off. WRONG!! Just as exciting as ever. They started off with a set mixed with songs from the new album and a mix of some of the hits. One thing that I love about Great Big Sea is their interaction with the crowd during the show. Alan started talking to the audience and in a response to the story previously told by Spirit of the West, Sean said "I feel the love in my pants!" (which ended up being a common saying throughout the whole night and it never got old). Alan asked the crowd if the date was March 11. When we all agreed that it was, Alan announced that it was Great Big Sea's 16th birthday; they played their first show on March 11 1993 at Memorial University. Since it was a momentous occasion the crowd sang "Happy Birthday" to the band (it was actually kinda cool). The band then continued on playing another set mixed of old and new music. They then got to the sing along portion of the evening where the want to see how good the crowd is at singing. They started out with "I fought the Law" by the Clash, followed by "We're here for a Good Time" by Trooper and ended with Alan directing the crowd through a rendition of "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen. This was of course leading up to everyone singing along to "Run Runaway," one of their first hits. Moving on through the show Sean says its time to sing something for the ladies and he starts to play a cover of Beyonce's "Single Ladies (Put a ring on it)" which was hilarious; this did end up leading into one of their own songs. When the show was over they left the stage. It only took a couple minutes for there to be a massive chant of "Great Big Sea!" coming from the crowd. The boys took back to the stage to perform a 3 song encore. Overall it was an awesome show! When I left the coliseum however my voice was raspy and horse; a very normal reaction.

When I woke up this morning my voice was still raspy and my throat hurt. All I could think of was "oh god, I have to give a presentation this afternoon." I spent the day babying my voice while finalizing my notes for this afternoon. Presenting is not my favourite thing to do but if I am prepared I am able to do it well. It was hard to believe that this was my final presentation of my degree here at MtA. The end is drawing near so quickly. So many assignments to finish and things to get ready before graduation comes around. Wow I can't believe it's almost over, sometimes it feels like it has only just begun.

I'll leave you on that note for this week. We'll catch up again soon.
Until then!

Happy Seuss Day!!

For those of you who are unaware it's Dr. Seuss' birthday today! When I was young one of my favorite books was The Lorax by Dr. Seuss. It was one of the more obscure tales, not at all like the Cat in the Hat or Green Eggs and Ham that my friends loved. It is a story very pertinent to our times I think. The general concept is that of a guy telling his story of industry and greed (I do have to say that the idea of having one of the mass produced Thneeds is intriguing). The Lorax brings a warning, speaking for the trees (or environment), of what could happen if things were not to change. Of course at the end of the story the land is destroyed and the guy advises that the boy listening should plant a seed. The Lorax's last word of "Unless" is what needs to be remembered when it comes to our own environmental reality.

Now, on to something completely different....spring break is over so here's the recap. After the monstrous storm that we had at the beginning of the week I spent the majority of the rest of the week working on assignments (during the days at least). I did manage to get to 3 movies: Coraline 3-D, Gran Torino and Confessions of a Shopaholic. I would highly recommend them all, especially Gran Torino, if you're looking for a good movie. Friday afternoon I drove to Fredericton to pick up my younger brother from UNB so he could come home for a weekend at the start of his spring beak.
So now we're Monday and not off to a great start. I woke up this morning to a warning saying that there was going to be freezing rain. I made my way down to campus but ended up heading home after only attending one class because the weather was getting to be too poor. So here I am at home - still working, just a different environment. The next few weeks are going to be crazy ones with the bulk of my assignments being due before the end of the term rolls around.

Until then!
Victoria


If you'd like to read The Lorax it's avilable online at:
http://curtisvc.tripod.com/lorax/lorax.htm

So long Valentine's...Hello break time!!

It's too late to say happy Valentines day since it is now gone again for another year. I do have to say that I think that it is one of my least favorite holidays. I am not a huge fan of anyone thinking that they have to do something for someone else just because it is a "holiday." This year my boyfriend and I decided to fore go the normal Valentine traditions and just stay home and relax together. With life the way it is after Jamie and I going and doing some normal Saturday afternoon errands one of his friends called and asked if we wanted to go over to his house. We had decided to make ourselves dinner that night but he said he was making chicken and baked potatoes so we were invited if we'd bring something along to go with dinner; so after a short while I had made a spinach salad and my favorite Skor bar dessert. We ended up having a great night with his friend and girlfriend - great dinner, conversation and we watched several episodes of the miniseries "Band of Brothers." Even though we ended up out we still had an excelled day overall.
I was just happy to relax with all the work that I have been attempting to get done in the last week. This is one of those semesters where the work is all due at the same time. Thankfully the spring break starts in three days and like everyone else my countdown is one. I'm not going south or even away for that matter but it will be nice to know that I can sit down everyday and work on assignments that are do after the break so that they'll be finished and I won't have to worry about them later. Now don't think that I am planning to work for the entire break; days are for work and nights are for fun. I've been so busy lately than in general I have neglected some of my closest friends and I am going to rectify that next week! I will definitely be getting some well deserved sleep. I had so much on my plate the last while that one night I ended up with insomnia because my brain just kept going and going. So even though I want to get some work done ahead I plan on giving myself a good two full days of rest (if not more) on this break.
This is also a bitter sweet time for me because although I am home and relaxing Jamie still has to head off to school everyday and his break is the following week. It would be nice for us to have some time off together because everyone knows what happens when school lets out in the spring - work! Oh well, we can't always get everything now can we.
Since next week will likely be a very busy one I will give a full update once the week is over.
Until then!

Life's comings and goings for another week

It seems like I haven't written in forever, when in fact it as only been just over a week. When time flies it just seems to disappear. I had intended to give an update earlier in the week but since my last post I have been fighting off a cold along with still trying to get all my work done on time.

So what's new you ask? Well I've finally hit midterm time. The next two weeks are going to be crazy. Midterms...papers...midterms...papers. My head is starting to spin just thinking about it. Hopefully my super organized plan that I laid out in my agenda is not going to fail me. I know when everything is due and have weighed what items needs more attention then others. One of the more fun assignments I had to work on was a presentation with my friend Alex for our Religion in Film class. We've worked our asses off to make sure that the class is entertained while we present the topics...but, class was cancelled because our prof got sick (profs are people too, and if I can be sick so can they). The fact that class was cancelled was a blessing in disguise I guess. We received a small mountain of snow last night so MtA was closed until noon today anyways. This gave me all day today to just sleep and recuperate some. It just means hopefully next week I will be completely cold free when it comes time to present. Even if I hadn't been sick today I doubt that I would have made my way down to campus today anyways. As a commuter whenever there is a storm you need to way the pros and cons of driving on the highway; I doubt I would have made the trip for one class this afternoon since I have friends who will make sure I am kept up to date with what's happening in the class.

What else happened this week? Well, since I am talking about highway driving I have two events that happened this week: first, Tuesday as I was driving along I had a coyote run in front of the car in the morning. He was far enough away that I didn't have to worry about hitting him, but it's the first time that I passed one on my way to school. Secondly, on Monday when I was on my way back to Moncton from my classes there was a car fire on the highway with cars backed up kilometers down the road. The reason I bring this event up is that there were so many people who stopped on the side of the highway to take picture, etc. As a daily commuter I don't like to see large groups of people pulled over for no actually reason except to be enthralled by someone else's pain. Outside of that not too much has happened. There was an ALOMA meeting on Monday and we are hopefully going to have some events coming up soon which is exciting and I totally forgot about Dr. Campbell's lecture in Brunton last Wednesday night; Jamie, my boyfriend, was even excited to go with me since he was talking about rock music.
I guess that's it. I'll try and get an update in during midterm mayhem.
Until then!


Even though I didn't make it to Dr. Campbell's lecture I did read the press release, and guess what? One of my favorite bands right now, the Ting Tings, is also one of his. Here's a video of them live...I think everyone should check them out.
Cheers!

A Different Kind of Stress

It seems like forever since I've written but I guess when you're busy time just flies. Hard to believe that we're only a couple of weeks into the semester. I feel as though I have so much work to do when in fact it is still very little. It likely feels this way since I am also trying to get my applications out for fall programs. The deadlines approach so fast that you can hardly believe it. All I can say is one step at a time and everything will get done in time.
Besides having to get those applications out I am having a hard time balancing my school work with everything else that seems to be coming up to be done or to focus on instead of sitting and doing work. Its been an exciting time with all the coverage of Barack Obama's inauguration and the announcement of Oscar contenders for this year. I made a strategic plan as to when I was going to work and when I was going to take time for myself to see friends and have fun. It started out well last week, I did everything on the days I scheduled and I was on track with my work. Friday was a turning point. One of my classes was canceled because my professor was ill. This through off all my plans for the day. I had only brought enough work for two hours and now it had turned into six before the girls I car pool with would be heading home. I had to improvise; I started working ahead of my schedule which sounds good in theory, but ended up throwing me off for the entire weekend. Friday night I knew was going to be a write off as I was going to see Robocop as a midnight movie with Jamie (the boyfriend) and some friends. Of course a midnight movie means getting home in the early hours and sleeping in late. I did start working on Saturday but plans arose for dinner out with friends, which lead to watching a movie at at friend's place and then going home to bed. Sunday wasn't too bad I worked in the morning and headed off to a baby shower in the afternoon...now that's a reality check, to see one of your close friends having their first baby (hard to believe that my friends are at that point in their lives). So here we are today, my afternoon class still being canceled because of illness so I'm working away to catch up on what should have been done sooner. So on my stress level-o-meter I'm at about a 6. Once I have my first application out and some work caught up I will be less stressed.
I decided to share one thing that always makes me feel happy in times of stress...enjoy the video!
Until next time,
Victoria






on a side note....don't forget the How Green are you? video campaign. Deadlines are Feb 15. For more info go to http://www.mta.ca/environment/

Here are a few of my favorite things....

Ok so I know it sounds like I'm going to talk to you about the Sound of Music but I'm not. Since we're still not too far into the winter term I thought that maybe this would be a good time to share some of my favorite things. When you're a student you have plenty to keep you occupied - school, activities, friends, etc. But sometimes you just need to do some things for yourself. So I thought that I would break down a list of things that I like (which are non-school related); some you might like, some you might not, but hey people always say to share so here we go!
1) Books - I'm not the most avid reader in the world (besides what I'm required for classes) and I tend to read what some would call "fluff" otherwise; but right now I have to say that my reading selections are anything other than. My boyfriend made the decision to give me George Orwell's Animal Farm and 1984 for Christmas. I was a little unsure before I got going but Animal Farm was interesting and now that I'm into 1984 I understand why so many people either love or hate it.
2) Music - my taste in music is eclectic and I tend to listen to just about anything (with a few exceptions). I am a big Beatles fan and have almost all of the albums to listen to. When I had a rough day and I need to calm down its all about Jack Johnson; he's cool and calming. Most of the time it's really a mix, usually dance music....I almost hate to admit it but the new Britney Spears is pretty catchy.
3) Television - ok so I know as a student you'll have little time for t.v. or you won't have cable which limits your viewing abilities but being able to stop your work for an hour to go watch a show I find is a great break. House M.D. is by far my favorite show on right now. There is great writing, great characters and I sometimes feel smarter after the show has ended. Now I do watch other things:ER, Law & Order: SVU...see a pattern :P Like most girls I do have guilty pleasure shows (you know the ones I'm talking about - they're brainless and you only watch them for fun). Well right now mine is the Bachelor (I know some of you probably thought I would say American Idol but unlike the 98% of people who watch it, I can't stand it).
4) Movies - Last but not least by far my favorite way to spend my time. I love going to the movies or watching them at home. I have so many favorites that it's hard to choose them, but there are a few that I think everyone should see (and they're not all old classics):Seven which is my favorite movie gives you the chance you use your brain while you enjoy the spoils of a psychological thriller; Mamma Mia! and Rent, two different ends of the spectrum - one is just for fun while the other deals with some issues in a very different way; Saved!, not much to say but that give it a chance (a friend of mine kept lending his copy to other people and has replaced it 4/5 times because people don't want to give it back); pretty much anything with Johnny Depp or by Tim Burton because they're both fantastic in their own ways; and last but not least BATMAN! I think everyone should see them all because they are all unique but if you need to choose everyone should see the Dark Knight because its amazing in all ways, and the original Adam West/Burt Ward movie and/or series because its just so retro.
That's my list! Let me know what you would put on your own lists!
'till next time - ciao!

OMG 2009 is already started! Hold onto your seats!

Welcome back! The holiday rush is over and everyone has had at least some time to relax (I hope). I'll give you the brief recap of the holiday leading up to where I am right now.
After all my finals finished I was just glad to be home and not worry about classes for a few weeks. With 99% of my holiday preparations being completed I was able to just do nothing. I was lucky this holiday to have friends home from different parts of the country, and like most people in their 20s (or 30s for a select few of my friends) it was nice to just get together and have some fun. On Dec 21 I took my boyfriend to see the Australian Pink Floyd concert (it was a surprise Christmas gift). It was fantastic considering that before that night my knowledge of Pink Floyd's music was limited. I spent Christmas with my family and did all the traditional stuff. The majority of the rest of the break was a muddled mess of who's going where and what's going on. New Year's was interesting; our whole group of friends headed out to the Barnyard Barbecue in Moncton and had some great food and drinks. I'm not the biggest New Year's fan so my boyfriend and I decided to head home early and watch a movie. Well that catches you up on the break, so now what?
I can't believe that we're January 7th and the course/lecture material will be coming at us full force. Now I have been on campus the last couple of days taking care of tuition, books, forms that I needed to fill out, as well as those first introductory classes where you find out what's expected of you. This is an exciting (and strenuous) time for me. This is it, my final semester of my undergrad degree! Its a surreal feeling to know that I am so close to the finish line but there is a wave of panic which comes with it. I am applying for Graduate School, as well as a Bachelor of Education degree; I need to get myself going and get my applications in so I can weigh my options for the fall. Will I get in? Who knows but I am not going to sit and do nothing. So now to find the proper balance between school, job and future. Can it be done? Stay tuned to find out!